Section A: TA eligibility
Additional questions about TA eligibility can be directed to CS-TA@uwaterloo.ca.
1. Am I eligible for a TA unit?
To be considered eligible for a TA unit, graduate students must be
- enrolled with a full-time course load,
- on-campus for the term that they are TAing, and
- legally allowed to work in Canada (e.g. have a valid SIN/work permit with a Canadian bank account).
TA units are guaranteed for eligible students who areÌýentitled to units as part of their program and submit the TA preference formÌýin a timely manner.
2. Can I TA if I am not eligible/entitled for a TA unit?
No. This includes students who are on an internship, on a co-op work term, or students who have accepted a Sessional Instructor position.
Students who are not entitled to TA unitsÌý(e.g. MMath: Research Paper/MDSAI students,Ìýover-eligible students) but meet the TA eligibility criteriaÌýare not guaranteed TA units. These students are welcome to submit theÌýTA preference formÌý²¹²Ô»å will be contacted by the CS TA Assignment Team directly if there are vacant positions that cannot be filled by other eligible graduate students.
3. Can I TA after graduating or if I'm planning to complete my degree/graduate in the same term?
Since you would not be enrolled with a full-time course load for part of the term, you would typically not be allowed to TA that term.
Exceptions may apply if there is a surplus of vacant positions and a student is completing their degree after the 100% tuition refund deadline. International students must also hold a validÌýpost-graduation work-permit (PGWP)Ìýin this scenario. The decision is at the discretion of the CS Grad Office and is made on a case-by-case basis.Ìý
4. Can I TA if I am a part-time student?ÌýWhat happens to my funding if I switch to part-time studies?
No. As mentioned above, you must be a full-time student to be eligible to TA.Ìý
If you switch from full-time to part-time, you will no longer receive Graduate Research Studentship (GRS) funding and your TA unit will be unassigned.
5. I am off-campus for a certain period of time next term. CanÌýI TA remotely?Ìý
While there are courses that will have most TA duties done online, by Policy (and requirement ofÌýMath Faculty Pool Proctoring),Ìýthe expectation is that you are available to TA on-campus for the majority of the term, starting from the first day of class until the last day of the exam period (inclusive).
For legitimate absences (e.g. medical emergencies, conferences), inform your course instructor/ISC. You may need to find a suitable replacement to cover your TA duties depending on the urgency.
6. I was assigned a TA position, but I am no longer able or willing to TA. Can I still decline my TA position?
±·´Ç³Ù¾±´Ú²âÌýcsgtaschol@uwaterloo.caÌý²¹²Ô»å CS-TA@uwaterloo.caÌýright awayÌýso we can reassign your position and adjust your funding accordingly.
Section B: TA units and funding
Additional questions regarding TA funding and TA units can be directed to csgtaschol@uwaterloo.ca. You may CC CS-TA@uwaterloo.caÌýas well.
1. What is TA pay?
For one term, TA pay is $4378.20 per unit before taxes.
2. When will I receive my TA pay?
TA pay is disbursed monthly at the end of each month. Please refer to the university's payroll dates for term-specific pay dates.
If you have not received TA pay at the end of a given month, please email CS-TA@uwaterloo.caÌýfor support.Ìý
3. If I have a double TA unit assigned, will I receive both double Graduate Research Studentship and double TA pay?
No. You will receive double TA pay but your Graduate Research Studentship (GRS) funding will be lowered.
The combined amount of TA pay + GRS funding received during a single-unit term and a double-unit term is roughly the same.
4. How many TA units will I be assigned?
The number of TA units offered to you is determined automatically based on your remaining TA entitlement and the total number of TA positions in a given term.
- Students with external scholarships (e.g. OGS, NSERC) are not entitled to double units at any point in their degree.
- Unless there is a significant shortage of eligible TAs, over-eligible students would not be offered double units.
In Spring terms, there are significantly fewer TA positions available, so it is very unlikely that you will be offered a double unit during the Spring. If you are overdue for a double unit in a Spring term, it's likely to be deferred to the subsequent Fall term.
5. Can I request that I'm assigned a single/double unit?
You may add a note on the TA preference form stating that you are willing to take a double unit, but we cannot guarantee accomodation for it. Double units are prioritized for students who are overdue for them. This includes
- PhD students who have not had a double unit in 2 or more terms, and
- MMath: Thesis students past their third term who have never had a double unit.
If you are Master's student who has already taken a double unit term, you will not be assigned another one.
If you would like to increase or decrease the number of TA units offered in a given term, please notify your supervisor and contact csgtaschol@uwaterloo.ca first. Changing your TA units will affect your GRS funding.
6. Can I do two doubles/have 2 TA units twice in a row?
No, ideally, we don’t have students doing two double-unit terms in a row.Ìý
7. What happens if I decline a TA unit?
You will not receive TA funding for the term and the 'decline' will be recorded as 1 TA unit towards your total entitlement.
You will receive the same amount of GRS funding for the unit(s) offered.
Section C: TA preference form
Additional questions about the TA preference form can be directed to CS-TA@uwaterloo.ca.
1. Why do I need to complete the TA preference form (again)?
By completing the TA Preference Form, our team will better understand your background, experience, skills, and preference for tasks which we are able to consider when assigning you a course.
You need to resubmit every term since your eligibility and preference might change term by term. Your previous responses may be saved and auto-filled for you.
Additionally, some courses are onlyÌýoffered in certain terms.
2. Should I complete the TA preference form if I'm not going to TA?
Yes. It will take one minute to submit the form when stating that you do not wish to TA.
If there is a reason (e.g. you expect a buyout, are completing your degree, will take an off-term, will be going on an internship/co-op term), we want to accurately record it on Odyssey and adjust your funding appropriately.Ìý
If you do not complete the form at all, we are forced to assume that you are declining the TA unit and TA funding.
3. I am unsure about my availability next term. Should I complete the preference form if I do not yet know my status for next term?Ìý
In cases where you are unsure about your status (e.g. waiting for results for an internship, unsure of when you will complete your degree), you should still complete the TA preference form and note the situation appropriately.
It will be your responsibility to updateÌýcsgtaschol@uwaterloo.ca ²¹²Ô»åÌýCS-TA@uwaterloo.caÌýas the details of your TA status become more certain.
4. I missed the deadline/forgot to submit the TA preference form on-time. Can I still TA?
Submit the form ASAP and email CS-TA@uwaterloo.caÌýto see what options are available.Ìý
5. I am a new student to the school. Am I required to complete the TA preference form to TA?
Students who are starting their degrees are not expected to complete the TA preference form to receive TA positions.ÌýMost new students do not have access to their school emails and, as a result, are unable to access the form by the time it's due.
If you are a new student who is able to submit the form (e.g. completed an undergraduate/Master's degree at the University of À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ), you are welcome to submit the form so that we can consider you forÌý
6. Am I guaranteed to be assigned to the courses I chose on the TA preference form?
Most students who complete the TA preference form on time will be assigned to one of the courses that they select as their first or second choices.ÌýWe will try our best to accommodate at least one of your first/second choices, but we cannot guarantee a perfect match based on a number of factors.
If you provide moreÌýinformation about your TA experiences and skills, it will give us more flexibility about where else you can be assigned if your first choices cannot be assigned to you.
7. How are TA positions assigned /Ìýwhat factors are involved in the TA assignment process?
We typically make assignments to prioritize each course. The limiting factors are often the number of positions allocated for the course,Ìýinput from the instructor/ISC, and how many students selected the course on the TA preference form. In cases where there are multiple qualified TAs for a limited number of positions, we rely on other factors such asÌý
- previous TA experience/performance
- preferences of tasks/duties
- familiarity with course-specific programs/languages
- relevancy of the course to the student's program or research area
Keep in mind, there are more than 400 graduate students in the School of Computer Science. Even if you desire a certain course, the goal is to have TAs assigned in the best interest of all courses.
Section D: Course assignments
Additional questions about the TA preference form can be directed to CS-TA@uwaterloo.ca.
1. Which programming languages or concepts are taught in which course?ÌýHow can I figure out which CS courses are most suitable for me?
For a better idea of course content, you can visit the Ìýfor course descriptions and outlines from previous term offerings. Alternatively, you can find course descriptions and pre-requisite requirementsÌýonline.
You may also discuss with your supervisor or inquire through the other professors/peers in your research labs for a better idea of which courses are relevant to your research area.
2. Can I TA for the course that my supervisor is teaching?
If they are teaching an undergraduate CS course, the best way to formalize this request would be to encourage your supervisor to complete the TA Request formÌýbefore its deadline.Ìý
3. Can I TA for a grad-level CS course?
Graduate-level CS courses (CS 600-898) are not typically supported by TAs except for courses cross-listed with 400-level courses (e.g. CS 456/656).
Graduate students may be TAs for a grad-level CS course if the instructor has explicit approval from the CS Graduate Director to have TAs assigned to their course.
4. Can I TA for a course that is not in CS?
In most cases, CS students will only be assigned to TA for CS courses (or courses cross-listed with CS courses like CS 371/AMATH 242).ÌýÌý
CS graduates may be assigned to non-CS courses in specific situations which may include the following scenarios:
- The course is not labelled as CS but isÌýsupported by the School of Computer Science (e.g. SE 212).
- The supervisor of a graduate student will teach a course outside CS and request theirÌýstudent.
- An external department is seeking TA recommendations and will fund the TAship from their own budget (e.g. MATH 643, QIC 710).
5. Can I TA for 2 courses in the same term?
Yes, if you have a double TA unit offered to you, it is possible to hold TA positions in two distinct courses.
We tend to avoid splitting double units like since it would require that you keep up with the content of two courses instead of just one. However, if you have TA'd for one or both of the courses before and think that you will be able to manage the workload, we will consider it an option when making TA assignments.
6. I am dissatisfied with my TA assignment. Can I TA for a different course instead?Ìý
Please contact theÌýCS TA Assignment TeamÌýto let us know. Swap requests are easier to accommodate during the Tentative TA assignment period when most students and instructors voice their concerns regarding TA assignments.
In general, swapping courses will depend on what other positions are available and the reasons for which you want to swap assignments.ÌýIf you are able to find another student to agree to a swap, then that would be the fastest way to have your requests accommodated.Ìý
The longer you wait to express dissatisfaction, then the harder it will become to find another course to reassign you to.ÌýIn some cases where we are able to re-assign you, it may not be for a course that was your preferred choice.Ìý
Section E: Instructional Apprentices (IA)
1. What's the difference between TAs and IAs?
The number of hours worked should also be the same per unit. It's in the given duties where the positions differ. IAs' may be responsible for a subset of the following duties that are not typically assigned to TAs.
- Coordinating other TAs for marking assignments
- Creating marking schemes/solution sets
- Holding office hours (in-person or virtually)
- Monitoring discussion forums (e.g. Piazza)
- Assisting in labs
- Leading tutorials
You'll notice that IAs have a lot more student interaction and input on the course delivery.Ìý
2. Why would I choose to work as an IA instead of as a TA?
If you are interested in teaching, the experience provided by an IA will give you a more accurate and broad view of relevant skills.ÌýSkills developed by working as an IA may include skills in instruction, communication, assignment creation, etc. These skills are transferable to future employment (academic or not) and would not be developed by an average TA marker.
Further, there is an opportunity to observe different teaching styles upon working with multiple instructors closely. Your experience will give you valuable feedback on whether or not you enjoy this line of work, and will also give us a good way to assess your suitability to work as a sessional instructor during your graduate studies or as a professor after earning your degree.
Some IAs prefer to talk to students about computer science content as opposed to marking individual assignments. It's a matter of preference of how you want to spend your time as well.
3. Is being an IA more challenging than being a TA?
An IA is often given more responsibility than TAs are, and as a consequence plays a more central role in a course. You will need to demonstrate organization, punctuality, dependability, and good time management skills in order to meet deadlines and adhere to schedules. When selecting IAs, ISCs will keep a look out for willingness to perform IA-related duties, relevant experience, and might also consider promoting students who have TA'd the course several time.
Depending on the specific IA job, it might not be appropriate for you to leave town on workdays during the term. Typically you should be available from the start of term (preferably a few days earlier) through to the completion of the marking and recording of the final exam.
4. How can I be considered for an IA position?
Our Instructional Support Coordinators (ISCs) will make the final decision when assigning IA positionsÌýfor their courses.
As of Spring 2024, theÌýTA preference formÌýnow allows eligible students to express their preferred courses and even show preference for IA positions.ÌýTo be considered for an IA position at all, complete theÌýCourse preferencesÌýsection of the form by choosing courses withÌý[IA]Ìýin the title. This allows for ISCs to quickly filter who is interested in becoming an IA.
To improve your chances of receiving a position, show interest in some of the IA-specific duties (face-to-face consulting, course development, conducting tutorials, etc.). Be sure to highlight any previous teaching/TA experience on the form, especially if you have supported the course previously.ÌýIAs will be selected relative to your ranking and the skills ²¹²Ô»åÌýexperiencesÌýyou specified in the form.
5. Can I hold an IA position and a TA position during the same term?
Yes! Graduate students are often required to have a term with a double-unit which can be split across any combination of TA / IA positions.
It is beneficial for a course to split double units into 1 TA position and 1 IA position since it allows for consistency in both the backend course development and the frontline experience with students. It can also reduce workload compared to double units spread across 2 TA positions (double the marking) or 2 IA units.
6. Can I hold an IA even if I am OE / have used up all my TA eligibility?
Similarly to TA units for over-eligible students in general, first priority will be given to students who still have eligibility.
Based on your previous experience and a demand for IAs, you can be assigned to an IA position if you are beyond your funding at the discretion of the CS TA Assignment Team.Ìý